Harmony
by LALALALOVEmee
Summary: Having been forced to play the piano her whole life, Sakura's just plain tired of it, but what happens when she meets a boy who teaches her how to enjoy music the right way? AU.
1. Introduction: Chapter 1

**A/N:** I know I should be working on my other stories... I actually had this written a while ago. Reading it over now, I feel like I was on something when writing this. :\

**Warning:** Sakura doesn't like to play the piano very much in the beginning of this story...Sorry if it offends anyone. I play the piano myself, and let me just say, practice can be a drag. I don't blame her for hating it, but don't worry. All's good in the end. ^^

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

* * *

The usual breeze blew past as the subway arrived. I boarded the subway as soon as the passengers cleared. Since it was rush hour, there were many people using the subway, making it extra hard to find a seat. I managed to find one though, because I had boarded rather early.

I sat down and placed my bag onto my lap for security. Then, I closed my eyes and laid them to rest.

I dreamed.

In my dream, I was seated on my piano bench, facing my black, upright piano. Of course I'd dream about my piano. It was always piano, piano, piano. I don't remember a life without it. At the same time, I don't remember a life where I loved playing it. It was just there, sitting in my room, collecting dust on the days I left it alone and playing empty notes on the days I was forced to practise.

The next time I opened my eyes, I found myself lying on someone's shoulder. When I was finally aware of it, I shot up and apologized. The man, or boy (well, he's wearing a school uniform, so I assume he is a boy) chuckled.

"It's alright. Don't sweat it. Everyone gets tired at times."

He's right. And right now, I'm very tired of playing the piano. In my waking moments, if I'm not playing the piano, I'm thinking about it and in my sleeping moments, I dream about it. It's as though the piano is a creepy stalker that I cannot get rid of no matter how much I try.

Along the way, the subway had picked up even more people, and now all the seats have been taken. I looked down and breathed a sigh of relief as my bag was in the same place I left it before I had fallen asleep.

Outside, the evening sun dyed the sky golden. Streaks of pink, purple, and orange painted themselves all the way across the clouds. It was so beautiful, like a painting. Why hadn't I taken painting lessons instead? Why did I have to take piano lessons?

The subway came to a stop as it arrived at yet another station. The force of the halt must have been too strong, as in front of me, an old woman wobbled. Worried, I got up and stood to the side.

"You can have my seat." I was rather angry when my voice didn't come out how I wanted it to. I sounded mad and impatient when in reality, I just wanted her to sit before she loses her balance and falls. Apparently, the old woman did not catch my true intention.

"N-no, it's quite alright. Th-thank you." Her voice shook in fear. Was she afraid of me?

"It's not alright. Look at you; you're about to fall any second." I bit my tongue. If what I said at first hadn't scared her enough, this would have.

"I-I'm fine," she insisted.

I "tsked" and looked away. Why was she being so persistent? Couldn't she see that I'm just worried about her?

The doors closed and the subway began moving again. The wobbling and swaying continued from the old woman.

At the next stop, I had an idea. I grabbed my bag and stood up, sidestepping the old woman in front of me. A girl, who looked like she was a few years older than me, moved to grab the now unoccupied seat, but I stopped her.

"Let her have it," I told her. I must have had a scary look on my face or something, because the girl gulped nervously and nodded.

I disembarked the subway and found myself standing on an unfamiliar platform. This was not my stop, but I didn't know any other way for the old woman to sit down. If having me there scared her to the point where she would not sit even when offered to, then it was best for me to leave.

In the end, the next subway took an hour to come. As a result, I got home an hour later than usual, as expected. After all, it wasn't everyday that I step off a subway to board another one that was headed for the same place. Upon reaching my house, I unlocked the front door and stepped in.

"I'm home," I called out. Almost instantly, my mother came running from the kitchen.

"Sakura! My dea– where have you been? I've been calling your cell phone, but you haven't picked up!" The creases on her forehead were less visible now as relief washed over her face.

"I was in the subway station. You know how bad the reception can get down there." I emptied out my lunch bag and put my lunch box into the sink, running water over it. Upon grabbing my bag again, I noticed something. "Oh, I lost my keychain…" It was usually attached to my school bag, but I wonder when I had lost it. Oh well, I guess I don't need one…

"I'm just glad you're back. What took you so long?"

"There was this old–"

"I'm done making dinner, so make sure you eat before Uchiha-sensei comes. I've told you that your piano lesson starts earlier today, have I not?" Was that what she was worried about?

"Don't worry. I didn't forget about that." Suddenly, I didn't have much of an appetite anymore. "And I'm not hungry, so I'll just wait until he comes."

"If you say so…You should make good use of this time and practise." She walked back into the kitchen before peaking out. "And I'm listening. Remember."

I sighed. "Alright, mom."

I slowly made my way up the stairs and into my room. Dropping my school bag onto the floor, I walked over to my piano. I stared at the black and white keys laid out in front of me for a good moment or two. Moving my arm, my hand hovered over the keys. As a finger absently pressed down on the middle C, a sound filled the room.

And suddenly, I wanted to scream.

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Thank you for reading! Reviews are much appreciated! I will answer any questions as long as it doesn't spoil anything!


	2. Introduction: Chapter 2

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Dear **Guest**: Thank you!

~Thank you for reviewing!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Uchiha-sensei came an hour earlier today. He told me how his younger brother had a piano recital later, and apologized for the short notice.

"It's fine. I don't really care," I mumbled as I took my position at the piano.

He didn't reply directly after, but when he did, his words did not shock me. "You know, you could be a little less impudent when you talk to others."

I didn't know how to reply, so I changed the subject. "Can we start with hearing tests today?"

* * *

After my piano lesson, I was left alone in my room to continue practising. That didn't stop me from hearing the conversation at the end of the hallway though.

"How is she doing?" That had to be my mother, with her overly concerned voice.

"She's doing fine. She could do a little better on her pieces though." That was undoubtedly Uchiha-sensei.

"I see. So she still needs practice…That girl is always so stubborn when it comes to practising you see."

"It's not the skills that she lacks. It's the emotions when playing. She lacks heart."

"Her heart? Oh, so it's just that." She sounded a lot more relieved. "And here I thought it was something big."

The voices receded after that, and I assumed Uchiha-sensei left when the door downstairs opened and closed.

Great. I lack heart. I wonder why that is.

* * *

The next week, Uchiha-sensei came again. This time, he came at the usual time.

"My little brother doesn't have a recital today," he explained. He seems really proud of this little brother of his, but I have no right to invade in his privacy. I can only listen to what he tells me.

"I see."

The rest of the lesson was the usual and after what seemed like an eternity, Uchiha-sensei left. I was not left in bliss for long, because my mother came in right after and told me to practise again.

* * *

"Hey there."

I turned around and came face to face with a man, or was it a boy? I couldn't tell, but he was wearing a school uniform. How strange, it was a weekend. You don't see many people wearing their school uniform on a weekend. His school uniform was the only way I could tell his age though, so I was glad for it I guess.

It wasn't that I was particularly bad at telling age or anything, but the first time I met Uchiha-sensei, I couldn't tell whether he was in his 20's or not. And up to this day, I still don't know. But that was not the point. The point was that this stranger randomly came up to me and said hi.

"Sorry, my mother told me not to talk to strangers." I turned away and continued looking at the café's menu. The people around me stared at me and gave me a weird look. What? Was I that rude to the poor man...er, boy?

"But you spoke to me just now," the boy, or man, or -you get the point, said.

I felt my grip tighten as the menu crushed under my hands. He had a point – I did talk to him just now, but just what does he want from me?

Unable to remain silent under the heavy atmosphere, I faced him again. "Okay, whatever. I talked to you. So now what?"

He smirked. "Can I sit?"

I glared at him. "Why? What business do you have with me?"

"Nothing, you just seemed lonely, sitting at a café all by yourself." If I could, I would wipe that smug grin right off his-

He chose that exact moment to sit down.

"When did I say you could sit?"

"When you didn't reply fast enough."

I spent the next few seconds glaring at him, and the people around me continued to give me odd looks. Great, now I'm going to be known as that extremely-rude-antisocial-girl-down-the-street-who -gets-all-angry-by-herself-when-the-other-party-is -probably-just-trying-to-make-friends. Great.

Wasting my voice on this person is useless. I'm already thirsty as it is. My drink decided to come just then and I thanked the waiter as kindly as I could. I don't know if it had worked or not, but he said "you're welcome."

Good enough for me.

I took a sip slowly.

"Do you play the piano?"

I nearly spitted out the contents of the sip I just took. "W-what?" I coughed.

He pointed to the hand I was holding the teacup in. "Your fingers – they obviously belong to a pianist."

I examined his fingers. "I can say the same to you."

"I play the piano."

"I see."

"Hn."

Just what was this person trying to get at?

"How long have you been playing the piano?" he asked out of pure curiosity.

"I don't know."

"How do you not know?"

"I don't know."

Silence ensued before I decided to speak again. "I don't remember a life without the piano."

"You're that passionate–"

"But I don't remember a life where I loved playing it either."

He was quite for a moment. I was about to speak up when he spoke instead.

"Then I will give you those memories."

I looked up and met his gaze. His piercing, obsidian eyes seemed to penetrate through my whole existence. His eyes told me that he understood me, better than I understood myself. So I decided to trust him.

* * *

I met him at the same café a couple times after that. And after the fourth meeting or so, we began to open up to each other. To be exact, I was the one doing the opening up and he was the one listening to me talk. He never did tell me about himself.

He wouldn't tell me his name either. I don't know how I could trust someone who won't reveal any information about himself, but he didn't seem suspicious. No, I _knew_ he wasn't suspicious.

"If you aren't telling me your name, then I'll call you whatever I want," I said one day.

"Hn, feel free," he chuckled. The sound of his laughter was warm and familiar, and it was something I did not want to part with, ever.

He gave off a very prince-like feeling, so I decided to call him Prince.

He was my very own prince, one I could call on whenever I needed to talk to anyone.

One day, when my mother wasn't home, I invited him over to my house.

"Do you have friends?" I asked him.

"I have one. You."

"Just me?" I asked, curious.

"Just you."

I almost wanted to laugh at him for only having me as a friend, but then I remembered: I only have one friend as well, and that's him.

* * *

Thank you for reading! Care to spare a minute and share any thoughts or feedback? It would be much appreciated! :)


	3. Introduction: Chapter 3

**A/N: **Why is it so hot and humid? My hands are all sweaty now. D;  
That latest chapter of Naruto has got me fangirling all over again.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

* * *

He came over a lot after that. Eventually, I got around to having him over even when my mother was home. She didn't mind. "As long as it doesn't interfere with your practice," she'd say.

Prince would come before my mother gets home from work and leave before dinner time comes around. She never did get the chance to see him, but I plan on introducing him to her one day. Of course I would introduce him as "a fellow pianist friend." She would surely enjoy his company then.

He never came on days I had piano lessons. I didn't want him to sit in on my piano lessons; it might be too boring for him.

He claims that he loves it when I practise. I don't see why though.

"Your sound's rather nice," he said one day.

"My sound?"

"Hn. The sound of your heart."

I tilted my head at him. "Last time I checked, I lacked heart. Besides, I'm just pressing keys on an instrument. How is my sound any different from yours?"

"That's not true. You _do_ have a heart, and a pure one too," he said. "Everyone has their own sound. You can't compare your sound to someone else's."

I laughed at him. I don't even have a "heart" so how can I have a nice sound?

* * *

"Do you like to read?" Prince asked me one day.

"Sure, why not?" Considering the circumstances (I was in the middle of practising piano), it was quite random of a question.

"Do you get emotional over some stories?"

"Not in particular, why?"

He seemed frustrated for a second. Then, "do you feel anything when something sad happens in a book? Like, when someone dies?"

She couldn't deny that now. "Well, yes. I still don't see where you're going with this though."

"Every piece of music is a story. There are sad ones and happy ones. How do you think the author feels when they're writing a sad story?"

Was this a trick question? "Sad?"

"Hn, and how do you think he or she feels when writing a happy one?"

"Uhh…happy?"

"That's precisely how they feel."

He sat back and crossed his arms, staring at me with intent eyes. I did the same back until I realized that he wanted me to fit the puzzle pieces together. "Wait, so you want me to be like an author when I play the piano?"

"Hn," he smirked.

He seemed proud of my resolve.

* * *

For the next few days, I tried using the tip he offered to me, but I just wasn't getting it. The piano pieces were only notes on a page. Other than the fact that it's ink on paper, I saw no connection whatsoever to books.

"Don't tell me; in order for this to succeed I actually have to write a book?" I asked sarcastically.

He sighed. "That's not what I'm trying to get at. You don't need to be an author to create a story."

"I _don't_? Then how–"

"Be a pianist."

A pianist? Wasn't I already–

Then I understood. He didn't want me to play notes off of a page. He wanted me to play music. He wanted me to depict a story using music.

* * *

The following week, Uchiha-sensei came over for another round of lessons. He seemed very proud of me this time.

"I'm glad it's finally paying off," he mumbled, sighing.

"What's paying off?"

"No, never mind. Do I need to remind you to be respectful again, Haruno-san?"

Of course, she had almost forgotten. The time she spent with Prince was far too carefree for her; she had forgotten to mind her own business. With Prince, it was never a problem. She was always spouting off nonsense from her life to him, so she never got the time to ask him about his own life. With Uchiha-sensei, it was different. There was always this mysterious aura around him that made you wonder what he really did for a living –yes, one would even say he was suspicious.

"I'm sorry," I apologized.

"It's alright. That's it for lessons today; I'll go tell your mother how well you did."

I nodded and as Uchiha-sensei took off, I found myself sitting on my piano bench. But this time, I wasn't forced to. This time, it was of my own free will.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Reviews are gladly welcomed! ^^


	4. Route One: Chapter 4

**A/N: **Starting from this chapter, the story will unfold in two different ways. These two routes are merely my two different perspectives of where this story could go. This is the first route.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

* * *

It's been a month since I met my prince. Slowly, day by day, I am starting to enjoy his company. When he is in the room, I have an urge to play the piano for him and ask him what he thinks about it. I want his opinion. More often than not, he would compliment me and give me more tips on improving. I would then absorb his words like a sponge.

Perhaps I'm obsessed with him, but I would never admit it. How could I be obsessed with someone I know nothing about? He knows all about me, but I still know nothing about him. My mother tells me that I am like a totally new person and she's proud of whatever Uchiha-sensei did to make me like this.

"But it's not Uchiha-sensei that did this. It's my new friend," I told her.

"Sure, sure," she waved me off.

"Wait until you listen to him play, he's brilliant!" My eyes sparkled as I spoke of him.

"He's played for you before? How come I haven't heard from downstairs?"

"Well, I've heard him–"

It was then that I realized he has never played for me before.

* * *

That evening, Prince came over again.

"Hey, will you play the piano for me today?" I asked him.

He looked at me strangely. "Is it not obvious? I don't want to interfere with your sound. If you hear my amazing sound, you might try to copy it." I wanted to smack him and drive him into the wall for being so stuck-up, but I still wasn't getting the point out of it.

"Uchiha-sensei always plays for me."

"He's your teacher."

"And what makes him different from you? You give me tips on how to improve too."

"Because," he said, "I'm your friend."

He never did play for me in the end. He won our argument by a landslide so in the end, he left after listening to me practise. I made it my goal though, to listen to his sound at least once. Be it my obsession with him or whatever, but I had an inner gut feeling that I had to listen to him play no matter what.

* * *

The next day, I tried to lure him to play for me –with my mother's cooking.

"My mom's great at cooking, you know. If you play for me just this once, you can stay over for dinner. How's that?" I hope I sounded convincing enough, but Prince shook his head.

"I can't play for you. I told you already."

"I won't copy you, no matter _how_ great you are," I smirked. At that, he seemed to lighten up a bit, but his answer remained constant.

"I appreciate it, but no. I have to go."

* * *

The days that followed resulted in the same ending.

"You can read my extensive novel collection."

"I've already read them all when you weren't looking."

"I'll let you look in my closet."

"Been there. Done that. By the way, you ever going to wear that dress in the bottom drawer?"

"No, it's too revealing."

"Hn, didn't think so. Darn."

"You can use my piano."

"Isn't that the same as playing it?" He sighed. "What's with you lately? Why do you want me to play so badly?"

I didn't know the answer myself. "I just need to hear you play."

Call it obsession or whatever, but I needed to hear him play now. I want to hear him play so much, I don't think it's even considered obsession anymore. It's beyond that. It's as though if I don't hear him play, I will continue to feel insecure about something, but what?

He sighed again. "Hn."

"Hn?"

"Hn, I'll play."

And he did. As he played, I finally understood what he had meant by "sound." How can I not when his sound and my sound were identical? They were exactly the same. The places I played joyfully at, the places I played sadly at, the places I played intensely at, every single detail was the same.

"H-hey, I didn't influence you, did I?" After all, I would always play in front of him, and he would always listen to me. Maybe he caught on to all my mistakes.

"I guess I did. That's why I didn't want to play for you."

"Oh, I see." Well, that made sense. I think.

* * *

"Your pieces are coming along nicely, Haruno-san. It's a very nice change from what you had before," Uchiha-sensei applauded.

"Change," I repeated…Yes, _he_ changed me. I didn't change myself; it was _him_. There was a sudden need to broadcast this fact. "I didn't change by myself though. It was _him._"

"_Him_?"

"There is this boy, or man or whatever. He's the one who changed me," I explained to him.

"What kind of person is he?" he questioned in return.

"He's–" I found myself unable to speak. I don't know how to answer this question. I don't know what kind of person he is. "I…I don't know."

"I see," he mumbled. "Well, this friend of yours must be a very nice person."

"A-ah, yeah. H-he is." Nice? _Was_ he nice? She suddenly couldn't remember anymore.

The next day, Prince did not visit.

* * *

Thank you for reading!


	5. Route One: Chapter 5

**A/N: **English is a cruel, cruel subject. And so is business.  
Big development in this chapter. Next chapter's the last chapter for this route. Then comes the second route which will be another few chapters...

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

* * *

It's been days since I've last seen Prince. Maybe I shouldn't have forced him to play in the first place…

But who would have known that his sound would be exactly the same as mine? Wasn't he the one who said that everyone has their own sound? I recalled the conversation I had with him.

"_Your sound's rather nice."_

"_My sound?"_

"_Hn. The sound of your heart." _

"_Last time I checked, I lacked heart. Besides, I'm just pressing keys on an instrument. How is my sound any different from yours?"_

"_That's not true. You do have a heart, and a pure one too. Everyone has their own sound. You can't compare your sound to another person's sound."_

If that's so, then how come he and I have the same sound?

I was suddenly a lot more suspicious about his disappearance than I ever was.

* * *

He never came after that and it was once again time for my piano lesson.

"I see you've continued practising even after he's no longer here."

I stopped in the middle of playing to look at him. "What do you mean?"

Uchiha-sensei was covering his mouth as though he had just said something he shouldn't have. Then, he closed his eyes and sighed. "There's no point in keeping it a secret anymore."

"Keep _what_ a secret?" I swung my legs over to the side of the bench to face him.

"You're doing so well even after he's no longer here, so I guess I can tell you now."

"Like I said, tell me _what_?"

"He's fake."

I paused. "Fake? What do you mean fake? _Who_'s fake?"

"That boy or man of yours that you always insist is real. He's fake. In other words, he's nonexistent."

Confused, I kept glaring at him for more answers, or at least for him to elaborate on what he had already said.

"He was merely a project I created to inspire you to play the piano."

"B-but –I don't understand. How can you call him a _project_? He's alive! He's my friend!" At this point, I was more than confused. I was close to tears even, because although I didn't understand what he was saying, I knew he was telling the truth.

"He never existed, Haruno-san. He was merely an image carved from the wishes of your heart. Somewhere along the line, he may have turned into someone you wished him to be –a parent figure, a teacher figure, or maybe even a friend. After all, it was your own mind that designed him. I was the one pulling the strings, but you had the freedom in making him turn out the way you want him to be."

Could the reason his sound and my sound be the same be because he was created by me? I listened, baffled and on the verge of tears. "So, he was never here?" I mumbled quietly more to myself than my teacher.

"No, he was not. When I first launched the project, or in other words, the first time you met him, you were at a café, am I correct?"

"H-how did you know that?"

"Of course I had to be nearby to see whether my project was a success or not. I was quite surprised when it actually worked. You should have seen it –you talking to yourself, that is."

I gasped sharply as realization dawned on me. That's why the people around me were giving me strange looks. It wasn't that I was being rude to someone; it was that there wasn't even that "someone" there at all!

"It was quite a sight, but I won't be able to see you talking to yourself again. He has fulfilled his purpose, and now he leaves." He sighed and rubbed his shoulders as though he had been released from a job well done. "Back to the lesson, shall we?"

"Then who was that?" My voice shook.

"Pardon?"

"You said that he took the image of someone I wanted him to be, so who is that person?"

"That I do not know. I cannot see the image that you see. I can only see the data that I have put in to create the illusion. I have no clue on what the "person" you see has told you, but whatever it is, it worked. So back to the lesson now…"

My mind was blank for the rest of the lesson. I hadn't even realized when it was over. I just sat on my piano bench, staring at the pattern of black and white keys. Before I knew it, I was playing the sweet, melodic pieces I played when "Prince" was still here.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Hope it wasn't too confusing. :\

P.S. I think I _was_ high when I wrote this.


	6. Route One: Chapter 6

**A/N: **Final chapter for this route. Second route starts next chapter.

**Warning: **I'm going to tell you guys right now - Sasuke is not the gloomy person we all know. Since there's no massacre, he has no reason to be the way he is in the manga/anime. So yes, he will be OOC. I apologize. :(

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

* * *

The subway arrived and the breeze that was brought along with it blew my hair into an unforgiving mess. It was rush hour and as expected, a large group of people were waiting by the platform. As I was at the front of the group, finding a seat was quite easy. Once seated, I set my bag in place at the usual spot –on my lap– and set off to sleep.

The smooth swaying sensation from riding the subway always makes me dream. As usual, I dreamt that I was sitting on my piano bench. In front of me, my piano stood proudly. I stuck my foot out and pressed down on the pedal. There was no sound as expected, but there was a presence beside me. I turned around–

"O-oh my! Sorry!" a voice rang in my ears. My eyes snapped open. I looked up and saw a woman. It was the same old woman I had seen a month ago –the one who had struggled to stand properly. She had just fallen on me. I sighed. "This is what happens when you reject other people's offers to let you sit."

She looked at me, and smiled. What? Smiled? "W-what are you smiling at?"

"I didn't get to thank you that time. I thought you were mocking me, but I realized after you left that you were doing that for my own good. So thank you."

I blinked at her. After registering everything she had said, I couldn't help but flush in embarrassment. "Geez, w-what are you saying? You can have this seat too! And take it this time when I offer it!"

The old woman merely smiled at me and when I stood up for her, she took the seat gratefully. "Thank you, young lady."

I found myself returning her smile.

As I stood holding the handrail, I watched the clouds outside float past. The colour of the sky has changed to a warm, honey yellow with streaks of pink, purple, and orange. The colours mixed and matched to create the perfect harmony. I sighed in bliss. I had a sudden urge to play a warm, soothing piece on the piano, one that matched the colours created by the sky. Maybe "he" did thifs to me. "He" isn't real to the world, but he was real to me. That's why I will continue to believe in him. Just then...

"Hey there."

That voice…!

I turned around. There, clad in a school uniform, stood my prince. "W-what? Why are you here? You aren't supposed to–"

"I'm not supposed to what?"

No. This is not him. He looks like him, but he is not my prince. He had the same hair, same eyes, same voice, same uniform, but this was not the prince I was familiar with. "Who are you?"

"We've met once, on this subway. You fell asleep on my shoulder, remember?"

I fell asleep on his shoulder? Why would I– Oh… "Yes, I remember."

"I thought you were pretty cool, getting off the subway to offer her your seat," he said casually, tilting a chin at the old woman seated beside me.

"W-what are you talking about? That was my stop," I lied.

"Well, we just passed 'your stop.'"

I looked at the map and realized that he was right.

"I don't usually take this subway, so I didn't see you after that...until today."

Did he take this subway again just so he could meet me? Was seeing someone offer her seat to an old woman that rare of a sight? Or maybe I'm just over-thinking it.

"You dropped something too." He reached into his pocket and took out–

"My keychain!"

"I knew it was yours. After you left, the old woman you offered your seat to found it on your chair. I decided to keep it for you in case I ever saw you again." He handed it to me.

"Uh, thanks. For keeping it safe, and returning it." I took the keychain from him, but as I pulled back, he caught my hand.

Holding my hand in his relatively larger one, I couldn't help but stare at his slender fingers. A _pianist_'s fingers. I looked up and had my breath taken away as I stared into the same piercing, obsidian eyes as my Prince's. "Offering your seat so rashly like that…"

Rash? _Rash_?He's calling _me_ rash when _he_'s the one holding my hand all of a sudden?

"…You're interesting," he chuckled. A sound that was very nostalgic. A sound I was determined to never let go of.

At that moment, I understood. It wasn't that this boy, or man or whatever, is a recreation of Prince. It's my Prince that's the replica.

"You've got yourself a pretty pure heart there. May I... know your name?" he asked, eyes searching mine.

_"You _do_ have a heart, and a pure one too."_

I giggled (just a little bit) and found myself grinning like the little idiot I was.

"Sakura. Haruno Sakura." I wasn't surprised when I responded to his question right away, because I knew I could trust this person standing in front of me.

"That's a nice name," he smiled.

Now, from the top... "Thank you. What's your name?" ...Let's start over again, my prince.

"Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke."

* * *

Thanks for reading! This is the end of the first route. The second route (which is a different version of a continuation from chapter 3) begins in the next chapter. It has no relation whatsoever to everything in this route.


	7. Route Two: Chapter 4

**A/N:** Second route begins here. This is a continuation from chapter 3.

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Naruto.

* * *

It's been a month since I met my prince, and I'm glad to say that I've gotten used to him. My mother slowly got used to seeing him at home as well. She expected his visit every day, and would warmly welcome him every time with a plate full of snacks.

"What a nice young man, and the music he plays! Why can't you be more like him?" my mother would ask.

It peeved me to no end when she compared the two of us, but I didn't mind his presence. I couldn't lie; I was quite fond of him myself. No matter how big a rival he was in my mother's eyes, he was a friend in mine. That was all that mattered.

We were friends. He was the only friend I truly had, and according to him, I was the only friend he truly had too.

"Hey, I've been wondering," I said one day. He didn't say anything, but I knew he was listening. I was used to his silence by now. "You're pretty cool. Why don't you have any other friends?"

I looked at him and saw him furrow his eyebrows. "I can't really call them friends," he said eventually.

"What do you mean?"

"They don't acknowledge me for who I am. In their eyes, I am merely the son of a rich family," he said, eyes looking at something yet not really seeing. I traced his line of vision and found him staring at my piano.

"Oh…I see." I didn't know that. I guess I didn't really know anything about him, except that he plays the piano. Come to think of it, this was the first time he decided to talk about himself.

"Yeah, but it's nothing big. Our family owns a business. Teaching piano, and stuff like that," he said casually as though it was no big deal.

"What are you saying? That's huge! I would be pretty proud of my family if they owned a business like that."

"Yeah?" he looked up at me from an angle, rubbing the back of his neck before looking at my piano again. "Well, if I could, I would hire you, but I don't have that kind of power in the family."

"Well, you're still young," I started.

He interrupted me. "That, and there's someone else more worthy than me. He's the one who deserves to inherit the family business; not me."

It hasn't occurred to me before that Prince was any different than I was, but now I see the distance between us. In truth, he really wanted to be the successor of his family. He loved the piano. How could he not? Even now, his sight is still focused on the piano in my room. He thought that he was good enough, but his family had proven him wrong. He wasn't the right one.

And what was I doing while he was pursuing his dream? Carelessly treating the piano like some piece of crap, that's what. I didn't take music seriously, but now I see things under a new light. And it's all thanks to him.

"I think you're a great pianist," I said confidently.

"And why is that?"

"You taught someone like me to love the piano. You gave me so many tips. How could you not?" I beamed at him. "I think you're worthy of that position even if your family doesn't. Heck, even if _you_ don't! 'Cause to me, you're the best piano teacher there will ever be."

Prince never showed much emotion, but today I was beginning to see a whole new side to him. Earlier, he had shown me his depressed self, but now he was showing his surprised self.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

"It's," he paused. "I have to apologize."

"For what? You didn't do anything wrong. If anything, you helped me."

"That's the thing. I helped you," he said, a grim expression on his face. "Look, I'm sorry. And…I have to go." He got up quickly and walked to the door.

"Wait-" I began.

"I'll…see you tomorrow, Sakura." He said with a slight tug on his lips before disappearing down the hallway.

I couldn't help but notice that it was the first time he had called me by my name.

* * *

Thanks for reading!


	8. Route Two: Chapter 5

**A/N: **Sorry for the long wait!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Today, Uchiha-sensei called to ask if he could come earlier than usual, because his younger brother had another concert. Of course, my mother didn't mind. She just hurried me home as usual.

When I got to my house, Uchiha-sensei was already there. I was about to run up to him and apologize for making him wait when I saw someone else.

Standing next to him, is that…Prince?

"You're supposed to be at the concert hall already," I heard Uchiha-sensei say bitterly.

"I have something more important to do first. Besides, the concert starts at 7. I have plenty of time," Prince retorted just as coldly. Just what was their relationship?

"The point of going early is so that you can practice. There's a practice room at the concert hall," Uchiha-sensei said. Prince didn't move from his spot though. My teacher sighed. "You've always practised at the concert hall before a concert. Why not now?"

"I don't feel like it today," Prince spat rudely. "I've practised enough. I just want to see Sakura."

"And do what? Invite her to your concert?" he paused. "Actually, that does not sound too bad. If she sees a live performance, it may influence her for the better."

"This is exactly why I came here today," Prince suddenly said.

"To invite her to the concert?" my teacher inquired curiously.

"No. To tell her the truth."

I decided to step in just then. "What truth?"

Both Prince and Uchiha-sensei were surprised to see me. "Sakura, how long have you-"

Uchiha-sensei was the more fazed of the two. "Haruno-san, I did not expect to see you here," he said in an attempt to cover up whatever he was trying to hide.

"What's wrong with standing in front of my own house?" I questioned logically.

"You weren't just standing, you were eavesdropping," Uchiha-sensei tried to explain.

"Save the crap for later. Just tell me what the hell is going on right now," I demanded firmly.  
Prince didn't wait to speak.

"Before I say anything, I just want to tell you that I'm sorry." If Prince could look ashamed, that was what he looked like right now.

"You've apologized yesterday. Just tell-"

"It was all a plan," he cut me off.

That took a while to sink in, but when it did, it didn't serve a greater purpose. I was still confused. "What was?"

"Everything. Us meeting. My visits. My tips on helping you improve. Everything," he enunciated. "Do you understand, Sakura?"

"I don't! That's why I'm telling you to explain everything to me!" I was frustrated. I felt so lost and confused. They had been hiding something from me, and I was at the centre of their plot. Is that what he was trying to tell me?

"Your piano teacher," he pointed to Uchiha-sensei who was currently standing in silence, panic slightly evident on his face. Like Prince, he displayed incapability in showing emotions. At this, I realized something that made Prince's next sentence less shocking. "He's my older brother. He told me to meet up with you and teach you, monitor you."

"Why…Why would he-"

"Because you were that untalented," Uchiha-sensei suddenly cut in. "Watching you play the piano was as boring as watching a turtle crawl around. I told your mother before, and I will tell you now. You lacked heart. You could not play without heart. What I have done may seem shady, but in the end, it worked. Your playing has improved whether you like it or not, and it is all thanks to my plan."

Hearing this, I looked at Prince for a reaction. As hidden as it was, I still saw an apologetic expression. Careful as to not hurt him, I spoke quietly. "So our first meeting…it was all a part of Uchiha-sensei's plan?"

He looked down and clutched his hands into fists. "…Yes." Prince's expression was desperate just then, as though he didn't want everything to end. "But as I spent time with you, I realized something. The person I wanted to teach wasn't my brother's student, but my friend, Haruno Sakura. When I had come to realize it, I found myself looking forward to meeting up with you."

That was all I wanted to hear.

"Okay," I said.

"Okay? So...you're fine with everything?"

I smiled, "under one condition."

He seemed very tired, but inquired nonetheless. "And what is that one condition?"

"You must meet me one more time, for real this time. Not as my prince, but as the person you are. I want to get to know you for real." I grinned and stuck my hand out at him, expecting him to shake it.

Next thing I knew, he took the opportunity to grab my hand and plant a light kiss on it. "That's easy," he smirked.

"I hate to break it to you two lovebirds, but Haruno-san has a piano lesson and Sasuke, you have a concert."

My cheeks flushed with heat. "Lovebirds? W-we aren't-"

"Here," Sasuke ignored his brother and shoved a ticket at me. "You better come to my concert tonight."

I nodded vigourously. "I'll be there."

* * *

Thanks for reading!


	9. Route Two: Chapter 6

**A/N: **And that's it!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

* * *

It was a fabulous performance. Prince- no, it's not Prince anymore…Sasuke, was it? His fingers danced across the keyboard at a demanding pace, but he wasn't struggling one bit. He was composed and calm, as expected of the boy, or man (I have to be sure to ask him about his age later), who taught me so many tips.

I watched in amazement as he continued performing pieces one after another, only pausing briefly between songs. From time to time, he would look in the direction of where I was sitting. I didn't know what had given it away, my bright hair or the seat number on the ticket he had given me, but I was happy nonetheless.

After all, in this big audience of people, he managed to find me. He paid attention to me, and only me. I was special.

He was special to me too. We may have started off in the wrong way, but we managed it out and now we are closer than ever. From beginning to end, Sasuke was a mysterious person. Even now, after everything he revealed to me, I still found him mysterious. We could work that out though. We'll talk, as Sakura and Sasuke, not as student and Prince.

Uchiha-sensei was seated beside me- he was the one who drove me here. I looked at him whenever Sasuke pulled off especially impressive feats. His expression remained the same, but from time to time I saw the ends of his lips twitch upwards into what I think was a smile.

When Sasuke was done playing, he stood up slowly and turned to face the audience. He took his stance and bowed gracefully like the gentleman he was. Everyone clapped and heck, I was the most excited of them all. I stood up and cheered loudly.

That got everyone's attention and they all turned to stare at me. Hm…maybe my support was a little uncalled for? I realized since the beginning how sophisticated of a concert this was, but listening to Sasuke's performance really got me hyped up. I guess I got too excited on the spur of the moment.

While I blushed heavily, Sasuke chuckled on stage. "Idiot," he mumbled playfully. Since he was away from the microphone, I couldn't hear what he had said, but I understood plenty from reading his lips.

"Shut up," I mumbled back, knowing he could read my lips too.

He chuckled again and waved for me to follow him backstage before exiting the stage himself. Clapping ensued and my embarrassing moment was forgotten.

"Uchiha-sensei, is it alright for me to go backstage?" I asked my teacher.

"Yes, it's fine," he replied monotonously.

"Are you not coming with me?"

"I'll let you kids have your alone time now, since I ruined your moment earlier," Uchiha-sensei smiled lightly. It was tiny, but that was definitely a smile.

I nodded my head in understanding, flushing at the memory. "T-thanks…I guess."

* * *

"So you came," Sasuke said as soon as he was in view. He was sitting on a chair backstage and looked like he was waiting for me.

"Thank you for the ticket! You were amazing out there," I grinned sheepishly. "I'll never be able to play as well as you."

At this, he sounded annoyed. "And why would you want to sound like me?"

"Uh," I didn't know what to say. Did I get him mad? "Well..."

"What is it? Speak up."

"You were wonderful, and I sort of…got jealous." That wasn't a complete lie. I was kind of envious of his playing, but at the same time, I was proud.

"Sakura." The way he said my name instantly sent shivers down my back. "I've told you already. Everyone has their own sound; don't you dare change it."

The way he threatened me was kind of cute, so I giggled. "Yes, yes." He looked at me just then with an expression I could not comprehend. "W-what is it? Why are you looking at me like that?" Shoot! Don't stutter like that!

"Hey, say my name," he urged quietly.

He caught me off guard with his words. "What?"

"My name. I'm sure you know it by now…Say it_._" Once again, his demanding yet gentle voice moved me. And is it just me or is he moving closer to me little by little?

"…S-Sasuke, right?" It was then that I wondered if I should have included an honorific. Maybe I'm moving too quickly. I don't want to be the only one who thinks we're super duper close or anything! (He _is_ the one who's moving closer to me every second though.)

"Good," he stated simply, turning around. Unbeknownst to me, a kind smile was placed on his lips. "Come, let's go. There are refreshments by the change rooms."

"I'm not a performer though," I blinked, puzzled.

"You will be by next month."

"WHAT? What do you mean?"

"I already organized everything. We'll play a few duets, and then we'll each play a few solos. It'll be the best concert yet," Sasuke explained matter-of-factly. "Of course Itachi consents to this. He'll be more than happy to have his student perform live like this."

A live concert? Me? Impossible! "I don't think I'm ready for something like that though," I complained.

"Relax. You will be after I'm done with you. Starting tomorrow, my brother and I will be prepping you heavily."

I wanted to decline this offer, but watching Sasuke's expression I just couldn't bring myself to do so. I didn't know he was capable of showing his feelings like this until now. He was excited. At what though? At the thought of performing with me on stage?

"Sakura? Why are you staring at me like that for?"

Coming back to reality and realizing that his face was right in front of mine, I quickly snapped out of it and shook my head. "It's nothing!" I couldn't stop my cheeks from flushing though.

"Right. Here," he held out his hand. I glanced at it, not knowing what to do. "Well, take it! Don't keep me waiting forever, damn it." He turned to the side a bit and…was he blushing? It was faint, but that's definitely pink I see on his cheeks.

I giggled. "Alright!"

Snuggling my hand into his, I marveled at how right it felt to be next to Sasuke.

I may mess up a lot, and I may find myself lost from time to time, but Sasuke will always be there for me. He'll fill in everything I'm missing and support me. In the same way, I'll support him and help make his dream come true.

In this way, we match each other perfectly, like a melody and its harmony.

* * *

Thank you for reading up until now!~  
Hope you have a nice day. ^^


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